Hinges



1965 J. w. ENNIS 3,197,804

HINGES Filed April 18, 1963 fu A INVENTOR. JAMES w. ENNIS //07 W /3 J L I03 United States Patent D 3,197,864 LENSES James W. Ennis, 1384Biaclr Bass'fiove, Memphis, Tenn.

Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 273,951

3 Ciaims. (Cl. v 16-128) The present invention relates to improved hinges adapted for use on doors and the like.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide 'unique hinges so arranged that the 'swingable door or the like.

A further object is to provide such hinges that eliminate the necessity of screws.

A furtherobject is to provide a unique hinge construction which only has a single attaching means for attaching the hinge portion to the door and which has unique 'means for attaching the hinge 'to the door jamb.

v A further object is to provide quick and easy means for attaching the hinges to the door and the door jamb.

Afurther object is to provide positive means for preventing the hinge portion from pivoting about the single fastening means.

A further object is to provide a very effective hinge construction 'and yet one which .is inexpensive to manufacture and install.

A'further object'is generally toimprove the design and construction of hinges.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and {the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference-to the accom- 'panying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is'a perspective view of aclosure assembly with which the hinges of the present invention are being used.

'FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one'of the hinges of the present invention, with a portion of the closure assembly being shown in broken lines.

FIG. '3 is a sectional view taken through the closure assembly and as on the line IIII1I of FIG. 2, with one open position of the door being shown in solid lines and 'the closedposition of the door being shown in broken lines.

FIG. 4 is'a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line IV 'IV of FIG. 3.

FIG. "5 is a'fragmentary sectional'view taken as on the line"V V'of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the fastening means before being expanded.

FIG. 7 is'a sectional view takenas on the line VII VII of FIG. 1 and showing in broken lines the door partially removed from the casing.

FIGZS is a view'similar to FIG. 7 showing an alternate attachment means for the hinge por-tions that are attached to the casing.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts'ar'e indicated by numerals, the hinges of the present lice invention are designated in the drawing as upper hinge 11 and lower hinge 13. In the drawing is shown a typical closure assembly 15 with which the hinges 11, 13 of the present invention are adapted to be used. .In the closure assembly shown, a typical door casing 17 and a typical swingable door 19 are provided, and hinges 11, 13 are shown swingably attaching door 19 to casing 17. In the drawing, none of the wall structure of the building or the like is shown, since it forms no part of "the'present invention.

Referring first to the preferred embodiment of lower hinge 13, best seen in FIGS. 1-7, lower hinge 13 includes, in general, a first hinge ,portion 21 and a second hinge portion'23 pivotally connected by a hinge pin 25, in a manner that will be better understood from the description to follow.

First hinge portion 21 includes a vertically extending first plate portion 27 and a horizontal second plate portion 29 integrally attached on one edge thereof to first plate portion 27 along the lowergedge of the first plate portion. In other Words, second plate portion-29 extends substantially perpendicularly from the .lower edge. of first plate portion 27. Also, second plateportio'n 29 extends forwardly'beyond the side edge of first plate portion 17, as at portion 31. In addition, the metal .of first plate portion 27 is struck out to establish a prong 33 that extends substantially perpendicular from the .main'bodyof the first plate portion and in the opposite direction from second plate portion 29. Another prong 35, similar to prong 33, is integrally provided adjacent the 'upperLe'nd of first plate portion 27 and extends aboveprong33 "in spaced parallel relationship thereto. A verticallyextending aperture 37 is provided in portion 31 and is adapted 'to pivotally receive the end of hinge pin 25.

Second hinge portion 123 includes a horizontallyextending third plate portion 3 9 that is adapted -to-be.-attached to door '19 on the lower edge 41thereof' and adjacent the lower inner corner 42 of the door, by means later to be described. The end portion 43 0f thirdpl'ate portion 39 is adapted to extend beyond the face 45 of the door and turnably rest upon portion 31 of first hinge portion 21. .Hinge pin 25 is disposed vertically-and extends downwardly below the lower face 47 of "end portion 43 and into aperture 37, as best seen in FIG. 4. Hinge pin 25 is preferably, though not necessarily, provided with-a head as that is fixedly attached to third :plate portion 39, as by welding '51 or the like, with .the verticalbody portion of the pin. extending through an aperture 53 in the third plate portion. A flange '55 is integrally formed-along one edge of third plate portion 39 and extends perpendicw la-rly upwardly from the third plate portion so that itis adapted to closely 'fit again-st the side edge 57' of door 19.

A single attaching means is providedfor second hinge portion 23 and is preferably of the expandable type, best seen in FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 6. Thus, the attaching means is preferably constructed as follows: A member 59 is provided-which includes a tubular portion 61 and a circular flange portion 63 integrally formed at one end of the tubular portion, 'with the tubular poftion extending axially of the ci-rcular flange portion. Member 59 is provided wane central bored extending'frornfthe outer face 670f circular flange portion 63 toward's the distal end of tubular portion 61, but stopping short of thegdis'tal -end thereof as at 69, where the bore'tap'ersinwardly, to-

03 wards the axis of the tubular portion. Tubular portion 61 is split along longitudinal lines 71 from the distal end thereof to a place adjacent the end 69 of central bore 65 to provide segments 73 of the tubular portion. An elongated spreading member, which is preferably in the form of a pin 75, is received in central bore 65, and before the attaching means is attached, a portion of the pin extends outwardly beyond the outer face s7, as best seen in FIG. 6.

Third plate portion 39 is provided with an aperture 77 adapted to closely receive tubular portion 51, and is also provided with a recessed portion 79 adapted to receive flange portion 63. In assembled relationship with third plate portion 39, member 59 is arranged so that the tubular portion 61 extends through aperture 77 and extends beyond the upper side 81 of plate portion 39 and in the same direction that flange 55 extends from the plate portion. Member 59 is fixedly attached to plate portion 31 by suitable means, as by welding or the like.,

To prepare a swingable member, such as door 19, for

' the attachment of second hinge portion 23, it is only necessary to provide a single bore 83 in the lower edge 41 of the door, which bore extends inwardly perpendicular to edge 41. The center line of bore 83 should be spaced from the edge 57 of door 19 a distance substantially equal to the distance between flange 55 and the center line of tubular portion 61, so that when hinge portion 23 is properly placed on door 19, tubular portion 61 extends into bore 83, and flange 55 abuts edge 57 adjacent lower edge 41, as best seen in FIG. 6. To complete the installation of hinge portion 23,'with the hinge portion placed as above described, pin 75 is urged inwardly, i.e. upwardly, as by hitting the pin with a hammer until the pin is in an inward position, best shown in FIG. 5, in which position the outer end of the pin is flush with the outer face 67 of circular flange portion 63. It will be understood that the movement of pin 75 to said inward position will cause segments '73 to be spread outwardly by the inner end of the pin into the position shown in FIG. 5, so that the hinge portion 23 is firmly attached to the door 19. This combination of the single fastening means and means (flange 55) for preventing any pivot of the hinge portion 23 about the fastening means provides a very efficiently and firmly attached hinge portion and yet is very inexpensive and simple in construction.

In attaching first hinge portion 21 to door casing 17, a pair of vertically spaced holes 85, 87 are provided through the casing adjacent the lower end thereof, as best seen in FIG. 4. First hinge portion 21 is then moved into place so that prongs 33, 35 respectively extend portion 97 extends upwardly rather than downwardly when the second hinge portion 97 is mounted on the upper inward corner 101 of the door 19. In other words, the hinge pins 99, are substantially vertically aligned but extend in opposite directions. Also, flange 102 of second hinge portion 97 extends downwardly instead of upwardly, and engages edge 57 of door 19 in the same manner as flange 55.

The distance between the upper end of hinge pin 99 and the lower face 103 of third plate portion 39 is greater than the distance between second plate portions 29, 93 so that, with third plate portion 39 resting on second plate portion 29, hinge pin. 25 is held in the aperture 104 in second plate portion 93 and cannot be removed therefrom. The distance between the lower end of hinge pin 25 and the upper surface 105 of second hinge portion 97 is less than the spacing between second plate portions 29 and 93 whereby door 19 is adapted to be removed by lifting upwardly thereon to first remove hinge pin 25 from aperture 37 to permit swinging of the lower edge 41 of the door outwardly and then lowering the door for removal of hinge pin 99 from aperture 104. In replacing door 19, substantially the reverse of the above described steps in the removal of the door are accomplished.

A modified means of attachment for the upper and lower hinges 105, 107 is shown in FIG. 8 wherein it will be seen a pair of expandable attachment members 109 is provided for each of the hinges, in place of the prongs of the preferred embodiment. Members 109 are substantially identical in construction with the member 59 heretofore described. The remainder of the hinges 105, 107

is substantially the same as hinges 11, 13.

through holes 85, 87. Next, the ends of the prongs 33,

35 are bent over on the back side 88 of the casing as at end portions 89, 91, respectively, so that first hinge portion 21 is anchored in place. Thus, the above described attachment of first hinge portion 21 to casing 17 can be done quickly and easily by the use of a hammer without having to use screws or the like.

Upper hinge 11 is constructed in substantially the same way and is installed in substantially the same manner as that previously described for lower hinge 13; therefore, a detailed desc ription is not deemed necessary. The only difference between the two hinges 11, 13 is that they are conversely constructed, that is, one is of right-hand and the other left-hand construction. Thus, hinge 11 should be so constructed that it can be mounted on the casing 17, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 7, with the second plate portion 93 of upper hinge 11 being at the upper edge of the door casing and extending over second plate portion 29, and with the first plate portion of upper hinge 11 depending downwardly from second plate portion 93 instead of extending upwardly as the corresponding part does in the lower hinge 13. Likewise, second hinge portion 97 of upper hinge 11 is similar to second hinge portion 23, except that the hinge pin 99 of second hinge From the foregoing description it can be seen that unique hinges are provided which are so arranged that the door or the like, with which the hinges are used, can be quickly and easily removed from and replaced in the casing simply by manipulating the door and without having to remove screws and the like. In addition, it will be understood that very eficient hinges are provided which can be manufactured and installed economically.

Although the invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity or understanding, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A hinge for attaching two members together; said hinge comprising a pair of hinge portions; one of said hinge portions including a vertical first plate portion, a horizontal second plate portion attached to said vertical first plate portion having a portion extending laterally beyond the vertical side edge of said vertical portion, and at least one attaching means attached to said vertical first plate portion for attaching said vertical first plate portion to one of said members; the other of said hinge portions including a third plate portion having a portion overlapping said laterally extending portion of said second plate portion, a single attaching means attached to said third plate portion for butt mounting said third plate portion to the other of said members, and flange means attached to said third plate portion and extending outwardly therefrom in substantially the same direction as said vertical first plate portion for engagement with the face of said other of said members to prevent pivot of said other of said hinge portions about said single attaching means; and means engageable with said overlapping portions of said third plate portion and said second plate portion for pivotally connecting said pair of hinge portions so that said flange means will be contiguous with said first plate portion and said second and third plate portions will be contiguous when the hinge is in a folded condition.

2. The hinge of claim 1 in'which said single attaching means comprises expandable means for expanding into said other of said members.

5 a 3. The hinge of claim 1 in which said attaching means 2,989,772 6/61 Parsons 16-135 X for attaching said vertical first plate to said one of said 3,006,039 10/61 Brydolf 16-135 members comprises a pair of prong means for extending 3,016,563 1/ 62 De Jong 16-139 through holes in said one of said members and for bend- 3,049,781 8/62 Cochran 24-4213 ing the ends thereof over the back side of said one of said 5 FOREIGN PATENTS members.

496,219 9/53 Canada. References Cited by the Examiner 523,866 4/56 Canada.

758,918 11/33 France. UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 596,166 12/47 Great Britain. ,7 10/ 73 Manneck 16157 2,71 2 50 Great Britaim 2,210,515 8/40 Wagner 16-159 241,600 9 4 i l 2,312,029 2/43 Conwell 16135 1 51329 g l JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner. 2,93 ota 1 135 r 2,987,756 6/61 Hollansworth lo DONLEY I. STOCKING, Examzner. 

1. A HINGE FOR ATTACHING TWO MEMBERS TOGETHER; SAID HINGE COMPRISING A PAIR OF HINGE PORTIONS; ONE OF SAID HINGE PORTIONS INCLUDING A VERTICAL FIRST PLATE PORTION, A HORIZONTAL SECOND PLATE PORTION ATTACHED TO SAID VERTICAL FIRST PLATE PORTION HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING LATERALLY BEYOND THE VERTICAL SIDE EDGE OF SAID VERTICAL PORTION, AND AT LEAST ONE ATTACHING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID VERTICAL FIRST PLATE PORTION FOR ATTACHING SAID VERTICAL FIRST PLATE PORTION TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS; THE OTHER OF SAID HINGE PORTIONS INCLUDING A THIRD PLATE PORTION HAVING A PORTION OVERLAPPING SAID LATERALLY EXTENDING PORTION OF SAID SECOND PLATE PORTION, A SINGLE ATTACHING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID THIRD PLATE PORTION FOR BUTT MOUNTING SAID THIRD PLATE PORTION TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS, AND FLANGE MEANS ATTACHED TO 